Prof. Dr. Abdelhamid El-Zoheiry, President of EMUNI University, was a guest speaker at two panel sessions at the Conference at Cosimo Lacirignola Campus in Bari, which took place from 28-30 September to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM).
The President spoke on the opening day at the session entitled ‘Food Security in the Med Region in Times of Multi-level Crisis: Resilience, Opportunities, and Prospects,’ the objectives of which were to highlight regional concerns and impacts of the crises of the last 10 years (health, social unrest, global warming, economics and finances, and weakening of regional solidarity /collective responsibility) on food security, as well as to provide successful and promising initiatives, focusing on the contribution of emerging technologies in alleviating vulnerability and securing sustainability in the face of accumulating challenges.
Prof. Dr. El-Zoheiry, second from left
Prof. Dr. El-Zoheiry went on to be a speaker in the session ‘Sustainable Food Systems (SFS) as an Effective Trigger for one Health to Promote Resilience and Sustainable Growth in the Mediterranean and Beyond,’ held the next day, where the objective was to identify concrete tools for the application of “One Health” in contexts where production systems are crucial for food security and human health.
The Conference, which boasted 21 thematic sessions, was widely attended by over 200 political dignitaries, experts and stakeholders, including Nasser Kamel, Secretary-General of the UfM; Janusz Wojciechowski, Commissioner for Agriculture of the European Commission; Mohammed Sadiki, Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Marine Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forestry; and Mahmoud Elies Hamza, Tunisia’s Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries. The theme of the Conference was a ‘Change of Route Towards More Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems in Mediterranean Countries: the Mediterranean Diet as a Strategic Resource to Accelerate the Agenda 2030 in the Region.’ Reflecting the Call to Action of the G20 Matera Declaration, this initiative aims to highlight how the Mediterranean diet can be used as a Sustainable Consumption and Production lever, following the One-Health holistic approach, a conceptual model that integrates human and animal health, the environment and lifestyle.
